The Trailblazer Times

Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Ashley Hobson Katie Henshaw (L) and Nicole Rhoney (R) hold signs showing passers-by why they shouldn't support Petland's practices.

Media Credit: Ashley Hobson Jason Miller (L) speaks out to onlookers about the reasons they should boycott Petland.

Media Credit: Ashley Hobson Alexandra Henshaw (L), 5 1/2, is already a veteran of the protest scene as she stands next to her mom Stephanie (R).

Saturday, March 6 brought warm weather and sunshine to Olathe, but while MNU students were content to lay around or play outside, a more serious business spurred some local activists to spend their day outside, not playing, but protesting.

Jason Miller and Stephanie Henshaw, founders of the organizations Bite Club of KC and K.C. Citizens for Canine Causes, respectively, led a small group of people in a protest outside the Olathe Petland store near the corner of Santa Fe and Mur-Len.

Both groups were part of a cooperative protest against Petland. They were protesting both its support of puppy mills and the fact that it, unlike most chain pet stores in the country, still sells puppies

Miller stood facing the road talking into a bullhorn strapped to his side, trying to let the passing public know the reasons why they should not let these situations continue to go on.

"We are protesting against Petland because we are opposed to selling puppies," Miller said. "There are millions of dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted."

Miller's other main disagreement with Petland is their willingness to support the puppy mill industry.

"Puppy mills are basically just factories for dogs," Miller said. "The females are like machines. They are mistreated and forced to pump out puppies, and when they can't anymore, they're destroyed."

Miller wants to convince Petland to stop selling puppies, and he also wants to educate the public about the problem.

Similarly, Henshaw is no stranger to these kind of protests, having organized and participated in several of them in the past 3 years.

Miller, Henshaw, and others like them, consider themselves to be the protectors of the innocent - speaking out for animals that can't speak out for themselves.

For Henshaw, protests like this one are a family affair, as her daughters Alexandra and Katie joined her by the side of the road.

For more information about these groups or the fight against Petland and puppy mills, visit their Web sites:

www.biteclubkc.wordpress.com

and

www.puppymillprisoners.org.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools